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subset: commoncrawl


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[Eran Elhalal is a food consultant, chef extraordinaire (about to become a restaurateur). He is also the resident Chef at the Israeli Wine Lovers Club where his delectable creations, cheese and fruit selections greatly enhance the tasting experience. CS]
More than once, have I listened to my friends complain about a failed attempt at braising short ribs or Lamb Shanks and worst of all, after spending hours preparing,ended up with a dry/stringy/pale/tough piece of meat and finding all that right before the guests arrive.
So, from today onwards, those tales of woe, the agony will end.
Braising is a wonderful way of utilizing the less expensive tougher cuts of meat that usually are not fit for dry cooking methods like brisket, and chuck or cuts that would require a long slow roast like leg of Lamb,lamb shanks and Beef Short ribs . Moreover a braise can be made ahead of time in large quantities , making it a great solution for a big family. In fact, a braise is great the day it's made, but it is FANTASTIC the next couple of days.
What we sometimes call tough cuts of meat are actually tougher due to the fact that they come from high mobility muscles. To give a simple example – cows stand and graze most of the day, hence their legs, chest and neck muscles are very strong. Strong=Tough!
And now, I'll take you step by step through the braising process…
Braised Beef Short Ribs
6 Servings
2 1/2 Lbs short ribs /3-4 Lbs if on the bone. Have your butcher cut the meat to 3-4 incl long pieces,1 1/2 -2 inches wide.
1-1/2 cups dry red wine Ingredients
1 cup Apple cider
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Lb small red potatoes.If you find large ones,quarter them lengthwise.
2 carrots cut oblique
1 large parsnip sliced thick
2 large onions sliced 3/4 inch thick
2 ribs celery rough chopped
2-3 sprigs parsley
1 bay leaf
12 black pepper corns
2 Tbsp dark molasses
¼ Tsp smoked paprika
salt to taste
flour for dredging
1. Turn oven to 450F and place a heat proof pan or low edged pot inside. (Earthenware or Pyrex are great for this)
2. Pat the meat dry, season well then dredge in flour. Heat a cast iron skillet or large heavy stew pot. Add 2 Tbsp oil and sear well on all sides. Remove and set aside.
3. In the same skillet brown the vegetables and remove.
4. Drain excess fat carefully place the vegetables in the hot Pyrex pan,add tomato paste and mix well with a wooden spoon .We want to coat the vegetables evenly and brown.
5. Deglaze with wine, then add cider, molasses herbs and spices. Leave 6-8 minutes in the oven so the liquid starts to reduce.
6. Add the meat , taste , adjust seasoning then cover tightly and place in oven.
7. Lower the heat to 275F and braise for approx 5 hours. Check to see meat is very tender. Alternatively you can set the oven to 150F-160F and braise overnight.
8. Cool well in the pan. the best way is to make an ice-water bath in a clean sink or larger pan. Then, lift away excess fat.
9. Remove meat potatoes and carrots gently,discrad of the rest . Portion the meat when cold.( This is important ! ) Reheat the cooking liquid and strain well through a fine sieve.
10. Reduce the liquid until a smooth and thick sauce consistency is achieved. Add the meat and vegetables. Simmer gently in the clear shiny sauce.
(The above photos were taken by Eran Elhalal)
For a wine pairing I suggest a dry full bodied red wine. A big red, to cut through all the wonderful gelatin in the ribs. Try Tzora Judean Hills 2008 or Tabor Mes'ha Shiraz/Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
Eran Elhalal
[I will add two personal favorites to Eran's recommendations:
Château Pontet-Canet Paulliac 2002. A solid wine with berry, currant and mineral character. Full-bodied, with silky tannins and a long finish. Racy. On March 31 2005 the Wine Spectator awarded it 92 points, as one of the top French wines of its vintage year.
Yatir Forest 2004. This wine from grapes grown in the Judean Hills is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot and 6% Shiraz. It's aged for 18 months in small French oak barrels. It has a purple color with a strong bouquet of forest fruits, red currant, blackberry and a hint of vanilla. A full bodied wine with velvety tannins. Tom Stevenson (author of the 2007 Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia), described the Yatir Forest 2004 as "the classiest Israeli wine I ever tasted." CS.]


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Pulitzer Prize-Winning Columnist Anthony Lewis Dead at 85
Anthony Lewis, the New York Times columnist who twice won a Pulitzer Prize, died Monday, according to the New York Times. He was 85.
Lewis died in his Cambridge, Mass., home from complications of renal and heart failure, according to his wife, Margaret H. Marshall.
See other celebrities who have died this year
Lewis worked at the Times for 32 years where he used his column to champion liberal causes, such as human rights and free speech. He won his first Pulitzer in 1955 after defending a Navy civilian who was falsely accused of being a communist sympathizer. His second came in 1963 for his reporting on the Supreme Court.
The journalist also wrote the critically acclaimed 1964 book Gideon's Trumpet, which was adapted into a television movie starring Henry Fonda.
View original Pulitzer Prize-Winning Columnist Anthony Lewis Dead at 85 at TVGuide.com
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One of the quieter stretches of today's Orchard Road has to be the less trodden path that takes one from Killiney Road towards what is today a four way junction with Buyong Road, across from where the Concorde Hotel (ex Le Méridien Hotel) is. Walking down it I am often taken back to a time when Orchard Road was a very different place, a place lined with car showrooms, the odd supermarket, and lots of old shophouses that lined both sides of what has today become a sea of malls, and when the stretch that I speak of was where the headquarters of the ruling political party, the People's Action Party or PAP, had been located.
Besides the PAP having their headquarters there until 1978 (when they moved to another of their former HQs at Napier Road), the stretch was home to headquarters of the Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). The SPCA occupied a premises the entrance of which was by the side of a building that was the former Orchard Road Post Office (across from where Buyong Road met Orchard Road) – a sign over its entrance could not be missed. The former Orchard Road Post Office which was built in 1902, had by the time I got to see the building, long moved out when the Killiney Road Post Office (which opened in 1963) was built to replace it when that magnificent building it occupied proved too small (there were initial thoughts to expand the building – but due to limitations of the site, a new building was instead planned).
The premises of the SPCA were used since the organisation moved to into in 1965 (although they had maintained kennels behind it since 1954 when it was still the RPSCA), paying a nominal $1 in rent per year. The kennels were one that were regularly visited by student volunteers including some of my classmates in primary school – I recall my mother dropping me off at the premises on a few occasions in 1976 when I did accompany a classmate who helped out at the SPCA. The SPCA's premises was acquired for redevelopment in 1983 and the SPCA moved into their current headquarters at Mount Vernon built at a cost of $1 million with money obtained from the organisation's fund raising efforts.
The stretch today bears little resemblance to the stretch back when the SPCA was there. Cleared completely of the buildings that had occupied it as well as with the realignment of the roads in and around it, it is hard to imagine what is today a relatively quiet and pretty green stretch, lined with shophouses all along to where its junction was with Clemenceau Avenue (where the Orchard Circus, which went in 1967) had once been.


text: Itinerary for June 10, 2023 Departure Day Date Location Port of Call Guide 1Saturday, 06/10/2023Depart from PiraeusPiraeus, Greece1Saturday, 06/10/2023ThessalonikiThessaloniki, Greece1Saturday, 06/10/2023KusadasiKusadasi, Turkey1Saturday, 06/10/2023RhodesRhodes, Rhodes Island, Dodecanese Islands, Greece1Saturday, 06/10/2023RhodesRhodes, Rhodes Island, Dodecanese Islands, Greece2Sunday, 06/11/2023Heraklion 2Sunday, 06/11/2023ThessalonikiThessaloniki, Greece2Sunday, 06/11/2023KusadasiKusadasi, Turkey2Sunday, 06/11/2023SantoriniSantorini, Thira Island, Cyclades Islands, Greece2Sunday, 06/11/2023RhodesRhodes, Rhodes Island, Dodecanese Islands, Greece3Monday, 06/12/2023Heraklion 3Monday, 06/12/2023MykonosMykonos, Mykonos Island, Cyclades Islands, Greece3Monday, 06/12/2023KusadasiKusadasi, Turkey3Monday, 06/12/2023SantoriniSantorini, Thira Island, Cyclades Islands, Greece3Monday, 06/12/2023SantoriniSantorini, Thira Island, Cyclades Islands, Greece3Monday, 06/12/2023RhodesRhodes, Rhodes Island, Dodecanese Islands, Greece4Tuesday, 06/13/2023Milos 4Tuesday, 06/13/2023Heraklion 4Tuesday, 06/13/2023MykonosMykonos, Mykonos Island, Cyclades Islands, Greece4Tuesday, 06/13/2023MykonosMykonos, Mykonos Island, Cyclades Islands, Greece4Tuesday, 06/13/2023SantoriniSantorini, Thira Island, Cyclades Islands, Greece4Tuesday, 06/13/2023SantoriniSantorini, Thira Island, Cyclades Islands, Greece4Tuesday, 06/13/2023RhodesRhodes, Rhodes Island, Dodecanese Islands, Greece5Wednesday, 06/14/2023Heraklion 5Wednesday, 06/14/2023Milos 5Wednesday, 06/14/2023MykonosMykonos, Mykonos Island, Cyclades Islands, Greece5Wednesday, 06/14/2023MykonosMykonos, Mykonos Island, Cyclades Islands, Greece5Wednesday, 06/14/2023PiraeusPiraeus, Greece5Wednesday, 06/14/2023SantoriniSantorini, Thira Island, Cyclades Islands, Greece5Wednesday, 06/14/2023SantoriniSantorini, Thira Island, Cyclades Islands, Greece6Thursday, 06/15/2023Milos 6Thursday, 06/15/2023MykonosMykonos, Mykonos Island, Cyclades Islands, Greece6Thursday, 06/15/2023MykonosMykonos, Mykonos Island, Cyclades Islands, Greece6Thursday, 06/15/2023PiraeusPiraeus, Greece6Thursday, 06/15/2023ThessalonikiThessaloniki, Greece6Thursday, 06/15/2023SantoriniSantorini, Thira Island, Cyclades Islands, Greece7Friday, 06/16/2023Milos 7Friday, 06/16/2023MykonosMykonos, Mykonos Island, Cyclades Islands, Greece7Friday, 06/16/2023PiraeusPiraeus, Greece7Friday, 06/16/2023ThessalonikiThessaloniki, Greece7Friday, 06/16/2023KusadasiKusadasi, Turkey8Saturday, 06/17/2023PiraeusPiraeus, Greece8Saturday, 06/17/2023ThessalonikiThessaloniki, Greece8Saturday, 06/17/2023Arrive at KusadasiKusadasi, Turkey Check Cruise Availability Total guests should not exceed 5 passengers. Adults: (ages 12-54) 0 1 2 3 4 5 Seniors: (ages 55 or older) 0 1 2 3 4 5 Kids: (ages 2-11) 0 1 2 3 4 5 Infants: (under 2) 0 1 2 3 4 5 Kid 1 Age: (at time of cruise) 0 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Kid 2 Age: (at time of cruise) 0 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Kid 3 Age: (at time of cruise) 0 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Kid 4 Age: (at time of cruise) 0 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Kid 5 Age: (at time of cruise) 0 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 US Resident? Need Airfare? Search Availability State/Province of Residence: Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virgin Islands Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Alberta British Columbia Manitoba New Brunswick Newfoundland Northwest Territory Nova Scotia Ontario Prince Edward Island Quebec Saskatchewan St. Pierre and Miquelon Yukon Territory Departure City/Airport Code: Akron, OH (CAK) Albany, GA (ABY) Albany, NY (ALB) Albuquerque, NM (ABQ) Allentown, PA (ABE) Altoona, PA (AOO) Amarillo, TX (AMA) Anchorage, AK (ANC) Anderson, SC (AND) Appleton, WI (ATW) Asheville, NC (AVL) Atlanta, GA (ATL) Atlantic City, NJ (ACY) Augusta, GA (AGS) Austin, TX (AUS) Bakersfield, CA (BFL) Baltimore, MD (BWI) Bangor, ME (BGR) Baton Rouge, LA (BTR) Beaumont / Port Arthur, TX (BPT) Beckley, WV (BKW) Bellingham, WA (BLI) Billings, MT (BIL) Binghamton, NY (BGM) Birmingham, AL (BHM) Bismarck, ND (BIS) Bloomington, IL (BMI) Bluefield, WV (BLF) Boise, ID (BOI) Boston, MA (BOS) Bozeman, MT (BZN) Bradford-Warren, NY (BFD) Brainerd, MN (BRD) Buffalo, NY (BUF) Burbank, CA (BUR) Burlington, VT (BTV) Butte, MT (BTM) Cedar Rapids, IA (CID) Central Wisconsin Aprt, WI (CWA) Champaign / Urbana, IL (CMI) Charleston, SC (CHS) Charleston, WV (CRW) Charlotte, NC (CLT) Charlottesville, VA (CHO) Chattanooga, TN (CHA) Cheyenne, WY (CYS) Chicago - Midway, IL (MDW) Chicago - Ohare, IL (ORD) Cincinnati, OH (CVG) Cleveland, OH (CLE) Colorado Springs, CO (COS) Columbia, MO (COU) Columbia, SC (CAE) Columbus, GA (CSG) Columbus, OH (CMH) Corpus Christi, TX (CRP) Dallas - Ft. 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Other 7 Night Mediterranean Cruise Itineraries on the Celestyal Crystal Departing Interior Oceanview Balcony Suite Jun 10, 2023$339$339-$339Jun 17, 2023$339$339-$339Jun 24, 2023$339$339-$339Jul 1, 2023$339$339-$339Jul 8, 2023$339$339-$339Jul 15, 2023$339$339-$339Jul 22, 2023$339$339-$339Jul 29, 2023$339$339-$339Aug 5, 2023$339$339-$339Aug 12, 2023$339$339-$339Aug 19, 2023$339$339-$339Aug 26, 2023$339$339-$339Sep 2, 2023$339$339-$339Sep 9, 2023$339$339-$339Sep 16, 2023$339$339-$339Sep 23, 2023$339$339-$339Sep 30, 2023$339$339-$339Oct 7, 2023$339$339-$339 Departing from Piraeus, GreeceDeparture Date 06/10/2023 OCG Class Mainstream Departing 06/10/2023 Interiorfrom $339Oceanviewfrom $339Balcony-Suitefrom $339 Check Availability


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SmarText™ SoftwareThanks to this special software, ya don't have to be a rocket scientist to get this scale working the way ya want it to. The SmarText software will guide ya through the whole setup process with text prompts. After ya have your scale all set up, the software will even guide you through different weighing applications.
Fast & Accurate With Magnetic Force RestorationThis precision balance is equipped with magnetic force restoration, or electro-magnetic force, to provide super fast, accurate and repeatable measurements.
Protective WindscreenWhen you're weighing with high precision scales like this one, even the tiniest breeze can interfere with weight readings. That's why this Ohaus scale comes with a durable windscreen to keep out those pesky drafts.
Liquid Level IndicatorThis very handy feature helps you quickly and easily get your scale nice and level. A level scale is important for getting the most accurate weight readings. All ya have to do is twist the feet on the bottom of the scale until the spirit bubble is centered within the level.
Tare & Pre-Tare FeatureThe tare button on the front of this digital lab scale can be pressed to "zero out" the weight on the scale. You can then add more weight, and the display will only show the weight of the items you're adding. This sure is useful when ya want to use an expansion scoop to weigh your things, or if ya want to get separate weights of multiple items.
Does This Thing Count?You bet it does! All ya need to do is weigh a sample amount of pieces, so the Adventurer can know how much each piece weighs, then start counting. You'll be finished in no time.
Average Piece WeightBefore ya start counting your pieces, ya need to let the AV53 know how much each piece weighs. Ohaus made this simple by averaging the weight of the pieces ya put on the scale. Just type in how many pieces ya put on the scale, and the scale will average the weights. The bigger your sample is, the more accurate the scale will be when counting your pieces. The sample amount will even be stored on the scale for future use.
Easy CalibrationThis precision balance comes factory calibrated and ready to use. Just in case ya need to calibrate it, the Adventurer comes with easy to follow calibration instructions. You'll just need to pick up two calibration weights, (1) 25 gram and (1) 50 gram, to get the job done.This scale has two calibration modes; Span and Linearity.Span calibration requires 50 grams of weight.Linearity calibration needs two separate weights, 25 grams, then 50 grams.
Percent WeighingThis feature will let ya compare the weights of your samples against a predetermined reference weight. This can be helpful in weight checking, compounding, formulating and more.
CheckweighingMake sure ya get your weights just right with this jewelry scale's check weighing feature. When ya weigh in this mode, you can set weight limits for the stuff you're weighing. So, if your sample weight is too low or too high...the Adventurer will sure let ya know.
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TotalizationYou can use this feature to repeatedly add the amounts on the scale together. This is a great feature if you need a scale with cumulative weighing for compounding ingredients or check weighing.
Weighing HookSometimes the thing ya need to weigh just won't fit on the scale's platform. Now that's a problem for most scales, but not the Adventurer AV-53. This scale has a weighing hook built right into the bottom. This hook works by pulling on the weighing platform when an item is hanging from it, just like if ya were to put an item on top of the platform. This will come in handy for density determination, gravity calculation, and a lot more.
Programmable Auto-Off FeatureIf you've ever had your scale turn off on ya in the middle of important measurements, you'll realize what a blessing this feature is. You can program the Adventurer Pro to turn off automatically, or to stay on until you turn it off yourself.
Programmable Auto Printing FeatureThis lab balance will automatically print your data for you! Just tell the AV53 to continuously send data to the printer, to send it at user selectable intervals, when the balance is stable, or to only send it when ya press the print key. That's pretty handy if ya ask me.
RS-232 Serial PortThe Adventurer Pro has an RS232 port built right in. This is important if you're wanting to send your weight readings and other data to an external source like a computer or printer.
2 YEAR MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY!When ya get this pricing scale, ya need to go over to the Ohaus website and register it to receive a two year warranty.
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Start by checking the "Possible Causes" listed above. Visually inspect the related wiring harness and connectors. Check for damaged components and look for broken, bent, pushed out, or corroded connector's pins.
The cost to diagnose the B0002 Mazda code is 1.0 hour of labor. The auto repair's diagnosis time and labor rates vary by location, vehicle's make and model, and even your engine type. Most auto repair shops charge between $75 and $150 per hour.
The Driver Air Bag Module is dual stage and is wired to the Air Bag Diagnosis Sensor unit through the Clock Spring. The Air Bag Diagnosis Sensor unit will monitor for opens and shorts in detected lines to the Driver Air Bag Module including the Clock Spring. The Air Bag Sensor Unit (Air Bag Control Module) monitors the Driver Air Bag Module. The Air Bag Sensor Unit sets the OBDII code when the Driver Air Bag Module is not to factory specifications.
Need more information on how to fix the B0002 Mazda code? Get Access to Factory Service Manuals
Get the B0002 Mazda code diagnosed by a professional: Find a repair shop in your area


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It was indeed a busy day for the Washington Nationals racing presidents. While Nats fans were lining up for the opening day festivities at Nationals Park, the racing presidents were across town, further cementing their new roll as DC-area icons.
For the third straight year, George, Tom, Abe, and Teddy were invited to participate in the annual White House Easter Egg Roll.
President Obama still hasn't been to Nationals Park, but perhaps the cheers of "Let Teddy Win" on the White House lawn clued him in to the unique fan experience we have going on South Capitol Street.
Photo courtesy of Erik Metzroth


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Margaret, it's all over now. I've said all I can say about these asshats in the Republican Party. The fact that they would prefer to see fewer people voting rather than more should tell us all we need to know. They're in it for themselves.
But now it's up to the people. And there are a few Republican Governors who should be ashamed of themselves. Do a little research on Rick Scott and you will quickly find out Florida has a fox in the hen house.
Go out and vote. It's important. If you don't vote you're no better than Scott and his Republican friends in Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania. Their efforts are proof that Romney has never been about 100% of Americans.
I suggest we offer immigration reform in the form of an immigration exchange program. If you are caught trying to suppress or otherwise discourage voters, we can deport you in exchange for an immigrant who wouldn't dream of taking democracy for granted. I mean it. Really.
Click here to support Margaret and Helen's website.


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Margot Williams
Margot Williams is a NPR News Investigations database correspondent. Along with her reporting, Williams works behind the scenes compiling, mining and analyzing data for investigative reports, ferreting for information, and connecting the dots.
Since joining NPR in October 2010, Williams has helped examine the massive trove of secret documents about the Guantanamo Bay detainees. Williams and NPR collaborated with The New York Times to provide an assessment of the reports which were leaked to the anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks. In addition, Williams worked with NPR Justice Correspondent Carrie Johnson to investigate the U.S. Bureau of Prisons Communications Management Unit for convicted terrorists. The NPR Investigation identified 86 of the more than 100 men for the first time; most are Muslims and have lived in the special units often called "Guantanamo North."
For five years prior to NPR, Williams worked as the database research editor and on the computer assisted reporting team at The New York Times. She spent 14 years at The Washington Post in several different positions including: research editor, library director, metro news resource director, and wrote for The Post's "Networkings" column. From 1998-90, Williams was the library director for the Poughkeepsie Journal.
Over the course of her career Williams has received a number of accolades and honors. In 2004, she was awarded first place for Explanatory Journalism on Major League Baseball from the Associated Press Sports Editors. Williams worked on the team that earned the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for National Affairs for The Washington Post's coverage of 9/11 aftermath and terrorism. She contributed to The Post's 1999 Pulitzer Prize Public Service Award for work on the investigative project "Deadly Force". In 1999, she was awarded Best of Show from the Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association. Williams was awarded first place in Business/Economics from the Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association in 1989.
A frequent speaker and educator at journalism conferences, seminars and graduate programs, Williams has participated in Global Investigative Journalism, Investigative Reporters & Editor and the Poynter Institute, among many others. Williams first book, Cuba from Columbus to Castro, was released in 1981 by Simon & Schuster. Most recently, in 1999, she co-wrote with Nora Paul, Great Scouts! CyberGuides for Subject Searching on the Web, published by Cyberage books.
Williams earned a Master of Science degree in library and information science from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Asian studies from The City College of New York.


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Target Audience
This activity has been designed to meet the educational needs of physicians.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this activity, the learner will be better able to:
- Summarize the etiology of adenovirus disease.
- Outline the pathophysiology of adenovirus.
- Review the epidemiology of the classic adenovirus disease.
- Explain the importance of improving care coordination among the interprofessional team to enhance care coordination for patients affected by adenovirus.
The Campbell University Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine (CUSOM) requires instructors, planners, managers, and other individuals who are in a position to control the content of this activity to disclose any real or apparent conflict of interest they or their immediate family may have as related to the content of this activity. All identified conflicts of interest are thoroughly vetted by CUSOM for resolution, to ensure fair balance, scientific objectivity of studies mentioned in the materials or used as the basis for content, and appropriateness of patient care recommendations.
CUSOM will identify, review, and resolve all conflicts of interest that faculty, authors, activity directors, planners, managers, peer reviewers, or relevant staff disclose prior to an educational activity being delivered to learners. Disclosure of a relationship is not intended to suggest or condone bias in any presentation but is made to provide participants with information that might be of potential importance to their evaluation of a presentation. Disclosure information for authors, editors, planners, peer reviewers, and/or relevant staff is provided with this activity.
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The Campbell University Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine (CUSOM) is accredited by the American Osteopathic Association to provide osteopathic continuing medical education for physicians. CUSOM designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1.00 AOA Category 1 B Credits and will report CME credits commensurate with the extent of the physician's participation in the activity.
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NEW YORK — The Ramones always seemed too fast. Their songs rushed by, often two minutes or less of pure adrenaline. Their influence outstripped their sales. And now, with the death of drummer Tommy, all four original members of the seminal punk rock band are gone.
Tommy Ramone, born Erdelyi Tamas in Budapest, Hungary, died Friday at age 65, said Dave Frey, who works for Ramones Productions and Silent Partner Management. Frey had no further details.
Johnny, Joey, Dee Dee and Tommy Ramone, taking their surname from an alias Paul McCartney used to check into hotels, formed in Queens, N.Y. in 1974. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame members were among the leaders of the original punk rock movement with songs like "I Wanna Be Sedated," "Blitzkrieg Bop" and "Rockaway Beach."
Wearing ripped jeans, black leather and bad haircuts, the Ramones stripped rock down to its essentials: two guitars, drums, a singer and no solos. Their 1976 debut album had 14 songs in less than 30 minutes, with "Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue" and "Beat on the Brat" reflecting their twisted teen years.
Their taste also reflected a love for early 1960s rock, before it became "progressive."
The Ramones never had a Top 40 hit, although not for lack of trying. They brought in the eccentric Phil Spector to produce an album. After seeing the Ramones in Asbury Park, N.J., Bruce Springsteen wrote "Hungry Heart" for them — then kept it for himself when his manager smelled a hit.
"This is art," Tommy wrote in the liner notes for a Ramones compilation. "Sometimes it doesn't sell at first. Sometimes it takes a while for the world to catch on."
Their concerts were a bolt of energy, songs tumbling upon one another. "Hello, Schenectady!" Joey shouted upon taking the stage in Syracuse, N.Y., one night in the late 1970s, before Dee Dee let loose with the familiar, rapid-fire "1-2-3-4" call that signaled the music's start.
Upstate New York city. Starts with an 'S.' Close enough.
Bands like Nirvana, Blink-182 and Green Day — who inducted the Ramones into the rock hall — came later and did sell, with sounds unimaginable without the Ramones' influence.
Now, teenagers not yet born when the Ramones played their last gig in 1996, perhaps even unaware of their legacy, wear black T-shirts to the mall emblazoned with the band's distinctive insignia.
Tommy Ramone was the last to see it all. Singer Joey died first, of cancer, at age 49 in 2001. Bass player Dee Dee was killed by a drug overdose the next year at age 50, three months after the band's rock hall induction. Guitarist Johnny, then 55, died of cancer in 2004.
Tommy was the band's original manager and helped produce some of their earlier albums. He was a guitar player in a band with Johnny that predated the Ramones, but went behind the drums when they couldn't find anyone else to keep up. He got out early, leaving the stage in 1978, although he produced the Ramones' 1980s album "Too Tough to Die."
"If you're cooped up in a van with the Ramones, it can eventually get to you," he said in a later interview.
He stayed active as a producer, working with the Replacements, among other bands. He played mandolin, banjo and guitar for a bluegrass band in his later years.
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State Department security chief, 2 others resign after Benghazi report
WASHINGTON (AP) - An administration official says the chief of the State Department's security service, one of his deputies and an official from the agency's Middle East bureau have resigned after a damning report that found systematic management failures responsible for a lack of security at the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya.
The official said Eric Boswell, the assistant secretary of state for diplomatic security, and Charlene Lamb, the deputy assistant secretary responsible for embassy security, stepped down under pressure after the release of the report. The third official worked for the Bureau of Near East Affairs, but wasn't immediately identified, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to discuss personnel matters publicly.
The report said poor leadership in both bureaus left the Benghazi mission underprotected.


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Yesterday, Ars Reviews Editor Ron Amadeo told me he had observed some interesting activity in the GitHub repository for Android. Several commits made over the last couple of weeks have made extensive mention of "AArch64," the architecture used by 64-bit ARM SoCs.
While the vast majority of the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) code isn't released to the community until after Google announces a new Android version, the Github repository is described as "a read-only mirror" of common AOSP repositories. This isn't the first time the open source community has contributed 64-bit code to Android, nor does this necessarily mean that we'll see a 64-bit ARM build of Android running on shipping hardware any time soon. However, at least a few of these commits have Google employee names on them, suggesting that work is being done in earnest.
Intel has already announced a 64-bit version of Android 4.4 that will run on its own Bay Trail Atom processors, but Intel-powered Android devices remain a relatively small niche for now. Android and its developers won't be able to fully embrace 64-bit until the ARM ecosystem does, and even once the hardware support is there it will take some time for the software support to follow. The GitHub commits make this as good a time as any to talk about ARM and Android's path to 64-bit support and how it mirrors the move from 32-bit to 64-bit that happened in PCs a decade or so ago.
Why 64-bit?
64-bit is hardly an essential feature for your phone today, but that was also the case when the first Athlon 64 CPUs dropped back in 2003. The then-current Windows XP would run happily in a single gigabyte of RAM or even less, and the Athlon 64 found success less because of its 64-bit-ness and more because it was also good at running 32-bit code.
In the long run, though, 64-bit hardware gets you a couple of things that will prove to be beneficial. The most obvious is full support for more than 4GB of RAM, a limit that Android devices may well be running up against in the next year or two. Most high-end Android phones ship with 2GB of RAM today, though newer models like the Galaxy Note 3 are beginning to creep up to 3GB. Some chips already partially support this via ARM's Large Physical Address Extension, or LPAE (PDF), but full 64-bit support will be required for apps to take advantage of more RAM.
Many applications don't need and won't benefit from having this much memory, but that's not all that 64-bit ARM brings to the table. The second benefit, which we saw firsthand in our review of the iPhone 5S, is that the ARMv8 instruction set is inherently more efficient than the 32-bit ARMv7 instruction set it replaces. John Poole of Geekbench summed it up to us best:
"[ARM has] cleaned up the architecture, they've removed a lot of the cruft that's built up over the years," Poole told Ars back in September. "They've also gone ahead and updated with things like more registers and better SIMD instructions, all while keeping the instruction encoding size exactly the same. There's roughly a comparable number of instructions… With the extra floating point registers and the extra SIMD instructions, especially if you've got numerically intensive code that can vectorize well… you're going to see a great increase in performance. I think in some cases it went up 200 percent."
64-bit code running on Apple's A7 is capable of running around 33 percent faster than 32-bit code running on the same processor, according to our CPU benchmarks. As mobile SoCs begin to run up against performance-limiting thermal and power walls, that's the kind of performance increase that's difficult to ignore.
Waiting for hardware
So 64-bit ARM hardware has some desirable features, even if it's not really a must-have feature in the here-and-now. It's just going to be a while before we have 64-bit ARM chips from anyone other than Apple.
These will only begin to trickle out in the second half of this year, when products based on ARM's 64-bit Cortex A53 and A57 architectures are slated for release. They won't start showing up in high-end Android phones and tablets until 2015, though—so far the 64-bit chips we know about are the server-targeted Opterons from AMD and the midrange Snapdragon 410 from Qualcomm.
The high-end Snapdragon 805 that Qualcomm will start shipping in the second half of this year is still based on a 32-bit Krait architecture, and that chip will probably end up in most of this fall's fastest devices (barring a drastic change in Qualcomm's roadmap or its OEM partnerships). The 64-bit flavor of Nvidia's new Tegra K1 is scheduled to ship in the latter part of this year, but Nvidia's chips don't have the reach that Qualcomm's do.
Hardware needs software
64-bit capable hardware doesn't mean a whole lot without 64-bit software, and at the very least, the ARM vendors' tardiness here gives Google plenty of time to get 64-bit ARM support baked into Android and Google's own apps. It's entirely possible that the first high-end smartphones and tablets of 2015 will introduce 64-bit ARM hardware and a 64-bit ARM version of Android simultaneously.
Even assuming that these 64-bit phones ship with a 64-bit version of Android on day one, the software and hardware fragmentation native to Google's Android ecosystem means that it will take some time to reach critical mass. As we've already seen in the long and protracted move from pre-4.0 versions of Android to post-4.0 versions of Android, app developers go where the users are. Even now, going to the Google Play store and searching for any given app will still return apps that look like they were designed to fit in on Gingerbread, not on one of the five versions of Android that Google has shipped since then.
It's going to take just as long for developers to justify building 64-bit versions of their applications. Update: As some of you have pointed out, the just-in-time (JIT) compiling Google uses with the Dalvik VM and the ahead-of-time (AOT) compiling used with ART can compile apps to be natively 64-bit automatically, though there are other features of 64-bit ARM CPUs that might require more effort from developers.
Even in the Apple ecosystem, where 64-bit phones and tablets have existed for a few months now, common apps are still more likely to be 32-bit than 64-bit. Hooking an iPhone 5S up to Xcode's Activity Monitor and launching a few common applications makes that clear—even the ones that have already been redesigned for iOS 7 are still usually 32-bit.
Assuming that our projections are accurate, Android's 64-bit transition will begin in earnest right around the time that Apple completes its own transition. We can expect Android's transition to 64-bit to follow the same general path that Windows did a decade ago. AMD struck first in 2003 with a 64-bit CPU that also ran 32-bit instructions. By the time Intel's Core 2 Duo hit in 2006, most new desktops and laptops were shipping with chips that could execute 64-bit code. After Windows 7 came out in 2009, most new computers slowly began shipping with 64-bit Windows installed by default rather than 32-bit Windows (Microsoft still offers 32-bit Windows, which may or may not change with Windows 9).
Smartphones and tablets will likely follow a similar path on a more compressed timeline. We can expect the first chips to trickle out late this year, the very first 64-bit-capable Android phones to begin hitting shelves late this year and early next year, and 64-bit Android to become a high-end mainstay in late 2015 or early 2016. Surprise announcements could easily accelerate this schedule, but it's going to be a while before 64-bit Android becomes the norm.


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In Defense of Auto-Tune
I am here today to defend auto-tune. I may be late to the party, but if you watched Lil Wayne's recent schizophrenic performance on MTV's VMAs you know that auto-tune isn't going anywhere. The thoughtful and melodic opening song "How to Love" clashed harshly with the expletive-laden guitar-rocking "John" Weezy followed with. Regardless of how you judge that disjunction, what strikes me about the performance is that auto-tune made Weezy's range possible. The studio magic transposed onto the live moment dared auto-tune's many haters to revise their criticisms about the relationship between the live and the recorded. It suggested that this technology actually opens up possibilities, rather than marking a limitation.
Auto-tune is mostly synonymous with the intentionally mechanized vocal distortion effect of singers like T-Pain, but it has actually been used for clandestine pitch correction in the studio for over 15 years. Cher's voice on 1998's "Believe" is probably the earliest well-known use of the device to distort rather than correct, though at the time her producers claimed to have used a vocoder pedal, probably in an attempt to hide what was then a trade secret—the Antares Auto-Tune machine is widely used to correct imperfections in studio singing. The corrective function of auto-tune is more difficult to note than the obvious distortive effect because when used as intended, auto-tuning is an inaudible process. It blends flubbed or off-key notes to the nearest true semi-tone to create the effect of perfect singing every time. The more off-key a singer is, the harder it is to hide the use of the technology. Furthermore, to make melody out of talking or rapping the sound has to be pushed to the point of sounding robotic.
The dismissal of auto-tuned acts is usually made in terms of a comparison between the modified recording and what is possible in live performance, like indie folk singer Neko Case's extended tongue-lashing in Stereogum. Auto-tune makes it so that anyone can sing whether they have talent or not, or so the criticism goes, putting determination of talent before evaluation of the outcome. This simple critique conveniently ignores how recording technology has long shaped our expectations in popular music and for live performance. Do we consider how many takes were required for Patti LaBelle to record "Lady Marmalade" when we listen? Do we speculate on whether spliced tape made up for the effects of a fatiguing day of recording? Chances are that even your favorite and most gifted singer has benefited from some form of technology in recording their work. When someone argues that auto-tune allows anyone to sing, what they are really complaining about is that an illusion of authenticity has been dispelled. My question in response is: So what? Why would it so bad if anyone could be a singer through Auto-tuning technology? What is really so threatening about its use?
As Walter Benjamin writes in "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction," the threat to art presented by mechanical reproduction emerges from the inability for its authenticity to be reproduced—but authenticity is a shibboleth. He explains that what is really threatened is the authority of the original; but how do we determine what is original in a field where the influences of live performance and record artifact are so interwoven? Auto-tune represents just another step forward in undoing the illusion of art's aura. It is not the quality of art that is endangered by mass access to its creation, but rather the authority of cultural arbiters and the ideological ends they serve.
Auto-tune supposedly obfuscates one of the indicators of authenticity, imperfections in the work of art. However, recording technology already made error less notable as a sign of authenticity to the point where the near perfection of recorded music becomes the sign of authentic talent and the standard to which live performance is compared. We expect the artist to perform the song as we have heard it in countless replays of the single, ignoring that the corrective technologies of recording shaped the contours of our understanding of the song.
In this way, we can think of the audible auto-tune effect is actually re-establishing authenticity by making itself transparent. An auto-tuned song establishes its authority by casting into doubt the ability of any art to be truly authoritative and owning up to that lack. Listen to the auto-tuned hit "Blame It" by Jaime Foxx, featuring T-Pain, and note how their voices are made nearly indistinguishable by the auto-tune effect.
It might be the case that anyone is singing that song, but that doesn't make it less bumping and less catchy—in fact, I'd argue the slippage makes it catchier. The auto-tuned voice is the sound of a democratic voice. There isn't much precedent for actors becoming successful singers, but "Blame It" provides evidence of the transcendent power of auto-tune allowing anyone to participate in art and culture making. As Benjamin reminds us, "The fact that the new mode of participation first appeared in a disreputable form must not confuse the spectator." The fact that "anyone" can do it increases possibilities and casts all-encompassing dismissal of auto-tune as reactionary and elitist.
Mechanical reproduction may "pry an object from its shell" and destroy its aura and authority–demonstrating the democratic possibilities in art as it is repurposed–but I contend that auto-tune goes one step further. It pries singing free from the tyranny of talent and its proscriptive aesthetics. It undermines the authority of the arbiters of talent and lets anyone potentially take part in public musical vocal expression. Even someone like Antoine Dodson, whose rant on the local news, ended up a catchy internet hit thanks to the Songify project.
Auto-tune represents a democratic impulse in music. It is another step in the increasing access to cultural production, going beyond special classes of people in social or economic position to determine what is worthy. Sure, not everyone can afford the Antares Auto-Tune machine, but recent history has demonstrated that such technologies become increasingly affordable and more widely available. Rather than cold and soulless, the mechanized voice can give direct access to the pathos of melody when used by those whose natural talent is not for singing. Listen to Kanye West's 808s & Heartbreak, or (again) Lil Wayne's "How To Love." These artists aren't trying to get one over on their listeners, but just the opposite, they want to evoke an earnestness that they feel can only be expressed through the singing voice. Why would you want to resist a world where anyone could sing their hearts out?
Osvaldo Oyola is a regular contributor to Sounding Out! He is also an English PhD student at Binghamton University.
126 responses to "In Defense of Auto-Tune"
Charles Dexter Ward says :
What a load of pretentious waffling. Autotune sounds like shytte. End of.
Noah Masi says :
I have professional autotune, and it is true that you don't have to be a perfect singer to make it work. However, it's gonna be stressful to use if you don't already deliver an almost perfect performance, otherwise you just sound like a robotic mess. I bought it because I take myself seriously as a vocalist recorder. I mainly use it as a corrective tool to fix a few mistakes, and sometimes use it as a full blown "cher" effect for artistic reasons. Do I think people abuse its purpose? Absolutely. I feel that as long as people don't lie about how they use it, then it's ok, meaning if a singer is truly talented, then they should be able to prove that when singing live. If they're trying to keep autotune a secret because they know they're not as good as they say, THAT'S where autotune becomes a bad thing. I'm still in the learning stages of autotune, but anything I edit is a performance that is already acceptable in its natural form.
Doug says :
I mean no offense when I say this, but imagine a world where anyone could write articles like this. Wouldn't that be special? If you don't value your writing as a form of art, then sure! But for those of us who do (I've been a musician for 10 plus years), it's an insult to see/hear what people are calling "music" these days. Auto tune can be used in a beneficial way to help correct slightly off pitch recordings, but using it live is a disgrace. By "tyranny of talent" you must be insinuating that those of us with talent are keeping those of you without talent out of the game or something. Not true at all. You want talent, go WORK at it as the rest of us "tyrants" do. Buying and using auto tune takes no talent, just an instruction manual. It's not all the industry's fault, you can blame society as well, for accepting processed garbage as viable art. When the consumer takes a stand and refuses to settle for "digitally altered" art, the people using it will be forced to perform without it, if they want to keep selling records. As for a world where everyone can sing? Keep it, I don't wanna live in that world. I'll stick with authentic talent from an elite group of professional, trained performers over a democracy of wanna be's making androgynous sounds that people with no common sense consider "music." At least there's still magic in that. Besides, let's think about the meaning of the word "professional." It means an individual who is better at something than most people, whether it be by talent or practice, or both. So, in essence, if you use auto tune in favor of good old fashioned practice, you are, by definition, an amateur. Pro golfers don't use swing alignment aides while they golf, nor do pro cyclists use training wheels. So if you're using auto tune, and consider yourself a pro musician, you'd better think again! You're no different than children dressing up and "pretending" to be doctors. So what's wrong with a society where people play "pretend" and anyone can do it? Nothing, until my children are hired by my local hospital to treat cancer patients, just because they "look and sound" like doctors. The same idiots who buy this music will be the same idiots who let my "doctor" children treat their illnesses. So what's so bad about a world where anyone can be anything, anytime they want? Nothing, just perhaps the lack of REALITY.
Downwith Autotune says :
I like autopilot in my planes.
It is safer to many degrees.
But my pilot is person who has committed their life to flying a plane. He or she has talent, skill and integrity.
I am inspired by their dedication to their craft and the care and the precision into which they constantly hone their skills so that without autopilot they can safely take off, fly and land my plane with my fellow passengers.
Tell me: who has more integrity? The pilot who flies with or without?
The fact is: neither. They are equal because regardless of autopilot both can fly the plane.
Singing with autotune in the abusive manner done today is an autopilot plane with a dipshit sitting in the pilot seat whose title is "pilot" but does not know how to fly.
Between a real pilot and the dipshit at a party?
Thanks, but I will take the person who has skill, honor, integrity and can apply their experience to their knowlege.
All the autopilot pilot can do is talk about how the buttons are pressed.
We're raising a generation of the latter, unfortunately. Skilless, witless automatons who use the labels of talented, caring folks.
Down with autotune.
The irony, of course, I just realized, is how much the rap "community" despises "fronters" and "haters" and anything else that they childishly crow against when the reality is that they are all just that: fronters. Talented in a very small area of the music world, certainly, but real "artists"? No. Just fronters. Hacks, in other verbiage.
I'm going to put on my Hendrix now and listen to Voodoo Chile. Recorded live. Three takes. The first one to set the recording levels, the second he broke a string. The third is around ten minutes long, mixed in with some of the second recording. Four instruments.
Down with autotune.
Hisham Soliman says :
better to flaunt your autotune usage a la lil wayne and t-pain rather than to pretend you can sing good but are really using autotune…
matt blogger says :
i hate people who use auto tune though a whole song, use it as a effect not to make you sing better or to make you sound like a dieing robot lol
Dr. HeldenBaer says :
Autotune is the attempt to bypass the long and involved means to learn to sing acoustically, as in the Bel Canto method, which gave the Western World its unparalleled beauty of Church Music, Oratorio, Opera, and Art Song. The human voice, trained and tried to match pitch, is what separates the REAL Musicians, from these [c]rap singers, who just wanna make money 'and have all the chicks for free,' just like that vulgar song says.
Auto tune should be banned.. as well as the garbage music that is conjoined to it.
jimmydrums says :
Great post on auto tune! We also need to see the big picture of how our technology is opening new avenues of art. Being a pro musician with two music degrees and percussion teacher that has recorded, played live in operas and symphonies and jazz festival settings, I'd like to go compare another medium here. Acting.
Why is it that no one is giving pro actors a hard time that they make movies, TV sitcoms or commercials instead of live Broadway theater? They have the perfect look, sound and lighting at the perfect time of day in the perfect location every time. I've heard that depending on the cameras used, it can take a 40 hour week to shoot a 40 min sitcom. Why would it bother you if music is run the same way? Live performance is just that. Live. No net. It's exciting to watch and to perform. If you want to go and enjoy a good show, go see someone that has put in the 10,000 plus hours that it takes to make magic happen in real time. But I love movies and animation too. I enjoy them for what they are. They have no less validity. They are just not live and I don't expect them to be. I enjoy them just as deeply.
Technology is tools. Period. Auto-Tune is a tool just like my torque wrench is in my toolbox. I don't expect my mechanic to feel the tightness of each bolt on my car. I expect him to use the tool to get the job done right.
Buy live recordings! Go to shows! Go out and support your musician friends and school concerts instead of flopping your lips with you ear buds on on how this guy/girl has no talent because technology aided this art form. Enjoy it for what it is.
helpful hints says :
Without auto-tune, we wouldn't have the classics from "Autotune the News". Look it up on Youtube, possibly the single best ever use of Auto-tune.
If someone made an affordable auto-tuner, I would hook it up to my cell phone, and use it anytime I was ordering at the drive-thru.
Imdad Hussain says :
Good Stuff!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Traveller says :
You don't need ranges impossible to be reached by a human voice, to make good music.
Sound, clarity, emotion…. none of it is there anymore with the newest generation of music. It's safe to assume that most of the mainstream shit that has been released in the past couple of years can't even be called music. Unfortunately it is actually and apparently quite convincing and money-making. Producers and marketers have consistently turned music into a big money scam – and auto-tune is a great example. I don't know what kind of person can even tolerate listening to breathless, single-note keys, but people apparently like to have what they probably like to call "perfect music". Music is supposed to be a form of art…. a talent… a way of expressing story through song. It doesn't have to be perfect either.
I'm not going to be picky and be like the lot of you that say that only REALLY talented and hardworking people should sing (there are TONS of ways one could refute this statement), but I am going to say this: I always believed that music should be free to perform, free to watch, for everyone out there. Music should be something you enjoy, not buy. Until auto-tune, record labels, and all the other things that try to involve music with money disappear, looks like my dreams won't be fulfilled for the next few years to come.
Unfortunately the fact that it's not going anywhere is right. Auto-tuning isn't even expensive, and ANYONE can do it by downloading any audio editing program to their PC and installing a tune filter plug-in. There's no sense in making lots of money with something that didn't cost a lot to create.
Race Knower says :
Sounds great. Think they used this in X Factor and lots of folk were turned off. How would you judge vocal talent in American Idol or X Factor though if everyone sounds perfect? I don't know, but I know music technology can be a boon to musicians who have not fully mastered an instrument; and todays young musicians are lucky to be living in a time when music technology can provide them with infinite possibilities, but theres not much joy if there is no soul in the vocal; and that's something that is not subject to mechanical action or human will. Its something that comes from the imortal part of man's Spirit Its great to look forward, but with some music the greatest human voices have been silenced by recordings been deleted in the music industry. Did someone say Sam Cook? If you can listen to an LP called Mr Soul by Sam Cook you'll know what I mean.
Dilbery Gocnes says :
Perhaps you should make a blog post defending use of steroids in sports, or using Google when given a final exam in college. Auto-Tune is no more than a pick-me-up and an easy way into the market of fame and the celebrity life. With wide spread use of Auto-Tune, it means nobody has to really try hard anymore, not when they can cheat their way into the industry. That's what's wrong with people these days, they don't care about hard work anymore when they can get everything done the easy way. The quality of music has been sinking to an all time low, and while that is still an opinion, there is still logical reasoning behind it.
Ste says :
I am all for technology in the arts as long as it simply adds to the music in a unique or artistic way. I expect singers at a professional level to be able to sing in a live setting. If they can't, there is something very wrong with the overuse of auto tune. When it is used to make up for the lack of talent in a talent-based field, or used so abundantly that's it's about listening to the technology itself versus the artist, it does lose authenticity. Do I find "Blame It" catchy, sure. Do I own it, nope. Was auto tune used in Cher's "Believe"? Yes. Can the girl sing in a live setting without, you bet.
chrisfiftyfour says :
Digital is not real. Peroid.
Autotune turns singing into paint-by-numbers.
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text:
Dennis Allsopp (Author of Genota and Genota Forms) was visiting Johannesburg, so I dropped in to see him and we had an interesting chat.
We chatted about software for genealogists and family historians, and three topics in particular:
- The need for an event-based database program for genealogists, historians, biographers etc.
- Dennis's own genealogy research programs, Genota and Genota Forms
- Old utility programs for which there are no modern equivalents.
As a result, I've uploaded a few of the old utilities to the website of the genealogy software forum, in the hope that they may inspire some enterprising hackers to reverse engineer them for modern hardware and software.
There were programs called Nameview and Namedrop that scanned BBS messages for things like surnames of interest, and manipulated those messages to collect them. They worked with Fido Technology Networks, but no one seems to have written an equivalent that works with mailing lists, newsgroups, or web forums.
There were also utility programs that took data from genealogy programs (mainly PAF 2.x) and printed family grtoup sheets on 3×5 or 4×6 cards.
That is FAR more useful than the stupid trick of software developers who tried to make a computer screen look like a card index, which had all the disadvantages and none of the advantages of the cards themselves.
But those utilities were written in DOS, and modern printers don't work with DOS. So the utilities need to be rewritten to use modern programs and modern hardware.
There was the Tiny Tafel Generator — which not only developed but matched Tiny Tafels. Trouble is, it was written in Turbo Pascal, which doesn't work on fast machines. You need a slow processor for it to run, under 500 Mhz, I think.
There are a few more there — back in the old days we may have had less than we do now, but very often we could do more with the less we had. So I'm hoping some hackers will have a look at them, and see if they can reverse engineer them to produce new versions.
But the main thing we chatted about was the need for an event-based program to be used as a research tool, not only for genealogists and family historians, but also for general historians, biographers and others. It would differ from lineage-linked genealogy programs in that it would not only include people that were relatives, but friends and acquaintaces, work colleagues, and even enemies. It would be a useful tool for a biographer trying to keep track of the events in the life of their subject, or for someone writing general history.
The basic outline of the program would look something like this:
Dennis introduced me to a rather nice mind-mapping and concept-mapping program called VUE (Visual Understanding Environment) which drew the above diagram (he has a far better drawing of it), and shows how the various parts of the program would relate to each other.
The main part of the database would be a chronological list of events, and people and organisations assocated with this events. The organisations could be both formal and informal groups — a political party, church, club, school, hospital, business firm, trade union, family or any other human group.
The "people" part would not only be for family members, as one finds in lineage-linked genealogy programs, but for non-related people, like friends, work colleagues, teachers, pupils, godparents, acquaintances and so on. Perhaps it could also be useful in testing theories of six degrees of relationship — that we are only six degrees of relationshop away from knowing everyone else on earth, and that my wife's boss's godmother's cousin's penfriend's vet knows me.
One reason for posting this is to try to find out if there are any others who think that and event-tracking and chronology program would be useful, and if so, what you would like it to be able to do.
Filed under: database software | Tagged: biographers, biography, DOS software, event-tracking programs, genealogy software, historians, historical research, history, relationships, six degrees, utility programs | 1 Comment »


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Welcome to my Flower of the Day Challenge (FOTD). Please feel free to post every day or when you you feel like it. Don't forget that my FOTD challenge accepts gardens, leaves and berries as well as flowers.
I would appreciate you continuing to post your entries on my daily post entries. If you need more information here is a link to my FOTD page.
I've gathered a list of challenges and their hosts. So if you know a challenge host, please direct them to my blog. Feel free to contact me anytime. I hope everyone will be able to use my lists.
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Motorola is no longer the first name you think of when you think of cellphones – that ended with the Razr a decade ago. But in this new Android-heavy atmosphere, Motorola (now owned by Google) is trucking along and committed to staying relevant amidst bigger-name competition with its unveiling of a plethora of new phones this year.
First you have the 2013 Droid lineup – The Ultra, Mini and Maxx – to consider, each with its own highlighted features, but those are only available to Verizon customers. And then, across multiple carriers, the new Moto flagship has arrived – it's called the Moto X, and it's made right here in the U.S.A., which should help sales.
I recently tested the X, plus a couple of the Droid phones (Ultra and Mini), and I'll let you know how they stack up in today's smartphone battleground.
There are three Droid offerings: The Ultra is the main offering, the Mini is a smaller version of the Ultra, and the Maxx has superlative battery life.
The Mini features a 4.3-inch edge-to-edge display, which I found too small but others might find just right. It's a kind of screen size folks looking to switch from an iPhone might consider.
The Droid Ultra has a 5-inch display, and is offered in either black or red by Verizon. It's the thinnest 4G phone you can get.
The Droid Maxx has a high-powered battery that lets you keep the phone charged for a couple days, unheard of on other phones. This is great for power users who log a lot of time on their phones and don't want to constantly plug it in.
All three of the Droid phones are made with a DuPont Kevlar fiber unibody design and are very sturdy; The X has different materials but is still well-made and durable.
The 4.7-inch-screened Moto X has a different design, curved on the back, and feels very comfortable in the hand; that's one reason why I'd probably choose it over the Ultra, as the internal specs are quite similar. The X also has a little bit more pixel density on the screen and is slightly thicker than the Ultra.
All four phones feature a 1280-by-720 pixel, which is behind some of the competition.
Processor, storage RAM
All three phones I tested had an identical setup inside. They carry a 1.7 GHz, dual-core processor, 400 MHz quad-core GPU, 16GB on board memory and 2GB of RAM.
These are good numbers, but not the best you can find out there in this highly competitive smartphone market.
The phones were fast when multitasking, but not the best I've seen. Verizon's 4G LTE network did a stellar job as usual, but the hardware left me wanting a little more. Also, keep in mind that not all of that 16GB is yours. Over a quarter of it goes to keeping the phone running. And there is no option to boost the memory via microSD slot, which is unfortunate. The X comes with 50 GB of storage on Google Drive, in an effort to make up for this.
If you opt for the Droid Maxx, you will get 32GB of memory. But that and the extra battery life will cost you an extra $100 over the Ultra. Some carriers also offer a 32GB version of the Moto X.
I got through the day on the Droid Ultra and Mini, which were slightly better than the Moto X. Of course, none of these are as good as the Maxx, which will get you through two days or more on a single charge, but that costs more. The downside is that all four have nonremovable batteries, so you can't carry a spare and swap out.
The phones all feature Android 4.2 (aka Jelly Bean), though Moto X is the Google/Motorola flagship phone, so it will likely get upgrades quicker to new operating systems. You get all the usual Google options – from the Google Play store and all its apps, to Google Maps and much more. It's a user-friendly and easy OS to learn, even for those who aren't tech-savvy.
The Droid Maxx/Ultra/Mini are on Verizon only, while the Moto X is offered by all the major carriers. Also, there are more color choices with the Moto X, if you are fashion-conscious.
The phones I tested were from Verizon, and all of them were impressive in terms of call quality and network reliability, as per usual.
One cool trick with the camera on the new Motorola phones is Quick Capture, which lets you get instant access to the phone's 10-megapixel camera by shaking it twice, then tapping the phone. This is good for when you're in a hurry to get that quick pic.
The phones feature a 10-megapixel camera, and 1080p HD Video capture at up to 60 frames per second. You get a 2-megapixel camera up front.
None of the phones was overly impressive in the camera department, compared to some of the competition that has stepped up in this area.
Other features
All of the Motorola phone options are WiFi and Bluetooth capable, and can be used as a Mobile Hotspot for a monthly fee. They all feature threaded messaging, and the usual list of utilities (calculator, alarm clock, etc.)
On the three Droids, you get the Droid Command Center, a widget that gives you a quick glance at info about battery level and weather, among other things. A low-power notification system is employed on the new Motorola phones, showing you on the lock screen if you have missed calls, messages, etc. This helps battery life.
The DROID Mini will cost you $99.99 with a 2-year Verizon contract, the DROID Ultra and the Moto X are both $199.99 with contract, and the DROID Maxx is $299.99 with contract.
Bottom line
Motorola has come out gangbusters in 2013, as parent company Google no doubt wants to grab a large chunk of the hardware market just like they did with the software market. That's harder to do, though, with heavy hitters like the new iPhone 5S and Galaxy S4 recently being released. Still, they give you plenty of options here should you decide Moto is the way to go.
On the Droid side, the Ultra is a strong follow to last year's Razr, the Maxx still is battery king and the Mini is one of the few options left if you like smaller phones.
The star of the group is the X, but it's still a tough sell vs. the Samsung Galaxy S4, iPhone 5S, HTC One and other arguably better phones competing for the same buyers. Google can't control the hardware side of things like they can control the software side. It's not possible with so much competition.
The Moto X is strong enough that it can at least make some advances for Moto, but it's not quite the superphone it needs to be due to some pretty mid-range specs.
I'm curious how it will perform, but the battle won't be easy. The Made in USA label will help, but maybe not enough.
Matt Myftiu can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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We specialize in matching our fine carving skills to your gemstones and have a large selections of gemstones, beads, cabochons, and intarsia items.
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Options for Valentine's Day dates are endless
It's a Saturday night and you're trying to figure out what you and your significant other want to do.
"Dinner?" you ask.
"Sure, I guess so," he says.
"Where?" you reply.
"I don't care," he replies.
And so the dating dilemma goes. Round and round the conversation will go until you both decide on your old standby.
But don't fall into the dating pitfall on Valentine's Day.
The ideas are endless for lovers on the most romantic day of the year.
Out-of-the-Ordinary Ideas
Find an airline, helicopter or hot-air balloon company that gives tours of the city. Take a night ride high in the sky and bring along a bottle of bubbly (if you're old enough to drink).
Make your own drive-in movie theater. Bring a TV/DVD player outside to the driveway and place it in front of the garage. Park your car in front of it, turn up the volume and snuggle up.
Go on a progressive dinner. Have appetizers at a restaurant, the main course at another, dessert at another restaurant and drinks at a nightclub or pub.
Drive around counting restaurants and eat at the 100th restaurant you find. You may end up at a five-star restaurant or at McDonald's — the fun lies in the mystery of not knowing where you'll end up.
Go on a tour of a factory in your town. Whether it is a microbrewery or an ice-cream shop, the tours are interesting and educational and not something you do on an everyday basis.
Take a class together. Have you always wanted to learn how to brew your own beer, make the perfect pasta or learn how to do the tango? One-day classes abound throughout the city you live in. Just call a local college, cooking school or dance studio to find out more information.
Volunteer your time together. Build a house with Habitat for Humanity, give blood or become a Big Brother and a Big Sister.
Take a hay ride together.
Classic Dates
In-line skating
Miniature Golf
Ice skating
Getting ice cream together
Going to a movie
Going out for a nice dinner
Visit the art museum
Go shopping together and pick out gifts for one another
Go on a picnic
Go to a poetry reading
Go on a boat ride or rent a canoe, paddle boat or sail boat
Take a tour of your city
Go treasure hunting at a flea market
15 'Sexy' Alternative Dates
Play "back Pictionary." Use your fingers to draw a picture on each other's back and try to guess what it is in two minutes.
Give each other a manicure and paint each other's nails red.
Memorize each other's faces by gently caressing it.
Sit back-to-back and deeply inhale and exhale. Feel each other's heartbeats through your backbones.
Give each other butterfly kisses.
Hold each other's face as you kiss.
Put your hand over each other's heart and feel them pulsate.
Try to beat the kissing record. The longest recorded kiss was 417 minutes.
Feed each other sweet treats such as chocolate-covered strawberries.
Charge your body with static electricity. Rub your feet on the carpet and kiss.
Brush each other's hair.
Sing "your" song. Whisper it in each other's ear while you slow dance.
Massage each other's shoulders, head and face.
Give each other foot massages.
Have one day of PDA (public displays of Affection). Kiss like a fiend.